Friday, July 15, 2011

There is one guaranteed way to avoid a hangover, and that is to not drink heavily the night before. But as we tend to be creatures of the night that love to party, hangovers can be a real headache. But what actually is a hangover and why is it so unpleasant?

What Is A Hangover?

We have all experienced that awful moment when we wake up with an incredibly dry mouth and a head that feels like a drum is being bashed inside it. The ecstasy of the night before is an ever fading memory and you are already vowing to never drink again as you cope with the hangover from hell. As we all react differently to alcohol, there is no set amount that you have to drink to cause a hangover, but the more you drink then the worse it will be. These effects are caused by the alcohol dehydrating us and the effect it has on our bodies systems. Alcohol also causes the brain to swell in size, leaving you with a nasty headaches as it returns to its normal size.

Natural Remedies For A Hangover

There are things you can do or take to lessen the amount of suffering you will have to endure on the day following a night on the booze.

1. Hangover Patches

There are recovery patches that you can buy which you stick on our body before you start drinking and wear for up to 24 hours. These patches work in the same way as nicotine patches or diet patches, in that substances are absorbed through your skin and into your bloodstream. These patches (such as the Zaca recovery patch) contain a host of natural ingredients such as magnesium, vitamin C, milk thistle and prickly pear, all designed to limit the effects of alcohol on the body and allow you to recover quickly.

2. Water

A lot of the nasty after-effects from drinking alcohol are down to the body been left very dehydrated. If you try to remain as hydrated as possible while you are drinking, you will enjoy the benefits come the following morning. Try alternating between alcoholic drinks and water during the evening and always drink as much water as possible before going to bed.

3. Caffeine & Aspirin

A recent study carried out in Philadelphia at the Thomas Jefferson University seems to suggest that caffeine and painkillers can be useful when it comes to dealing with a hangover. The experiment involved inducing headaches in rats using small quantities of ethanol, the rats were then given caffeine and anti-inflammatories which seemed to block the chemical acetate (contained in alcohol) and relieve their symptoms.

The best answer to avoiding a hangover is to know your limits and drink accordingly, but if things do get out of hand then take my advice and help your body recover quickly.